January ended with a bang as we hosted the Empire State Warranty Diamond Dealer Event in beautiful Sarasota, FL. This all-expenses-paid event was a great opportunity to recognize top performers, exchange industry insights, and unveil exciting new tools for our dealers!
Diamond Dealer Awards: Recognizing the Best in the Business!
We began the event with our Diamond Dealer Award Ceremony, honoring our top dealers, F&I managers, and service directors who have demonstrated outstanding performance in 2024.
Complete List of Award Winners:
- 🥇 Diamond Dealer of the Year: Tecforce Automotive
- 🏆 Hall of Fame – First Ever Inductee: Patrick Lyga – Exit5 Auto Group
- 🏆 Diamond Dealers: Licari Motor Car, Roberts Auto Sales, Exit5 Auto Group, & Frank Siena’s Auto Sales Inc.
- 🏆 Rising Stars of the Year: Bulldog Auto & Broadway Garage of Columbia County
- 🏆 Rookie Dealers of the Year: Michael’s Auto Plaza & Lusso Motors
- 🏆 Service Director of the Year: Korey Thomas – Exit5 Auto Group
- 🏆 F&I Manager of the Year: Melanie Mcaloney – Tower Auto Sales
Dealer 20: Wisdom from Industry Leaders
In addition to celebrating top performers, we also facilitated discussions between seasoned dealers and rising stars in the industry. Veteran dealers like Exit5 Auto Group shared invaluable insights with younger dealers about improving efficiency and growing their businesses.
One standout quote came from Patrick Lyga, General Manager of Exit5 Auto Group, who shared:
“I constantly ask myself: How can I programmatically get this done? My mission is not how much more I can do, but how much less I can do—and get the same job done.”
These types of insights are what make the Dealer 20 sessions such a valuable opportunity for learning and growth, no matter the level of your experience.
